Logano said he knew whom he was racing for the win on the final lap at California, but insists he did not intentionally try to wreck Hamlin, who suffered a broken vertebra in his lower back in the crash. Hamlin, who is scheduled to meet with the media Wednesday, is expected to miss at least five races, beginning with Sunday’s race at Martinsville.

“Did I remember who I was racing against? Yes,” Logano told ESPN. “Obviously I know who I’m racing against and what happened a week before but going into turn three on the last lap, I remember, ‘I’m going to win the race.’ My number one goal is to go win a race.

“So did I intentionally wreck him? No, I did not intentionally do that. If I was going to do that I would have hit him in the left-rear tire. I hit him in the door. It’s hard racing at that point.”

Logano said that his comments about getting even with Hamlin, which were made immediately after the incident, were made before he knew Hamlin had been injured.

“I hate that he got hurt,” Logano told ESPN. “I feel like the comments after the race that I made were taken way out of context. My mind wasn’t straight and I didn’t know Denny was hurt. There was no way for me to know. And it got taken way out of context.”

Logano, 22, joined Penske Racing this year after being released from Joe Gibbs Racing, where he was a teammate with Hamlin.

ESPN’s Smith reported that Logano confirmed that he had talked to Hamlin and wished him a speedy recovery. He told ESPN he hoped the two former teammates could repair their relationship when Hamlin returns.

Logano, who has been involved in several incidents with drivers in the past few years, said he has to stand up for himself.

“Yeah you have to stand up for yourself,” Logano told ESPN. “We’re racing against the same people every weekend and you have to put your foot down and show them that you’re out here to win a race, you’re out here to stand strong and you’re doing that for your whole team.”

Logano also was involved in an incident with Tony Stewart at California. Stewart, angry that Logano blocked him on the final restart, confronted Logano after the race, shoved him and attempted to throw a punch. Logano threw a water bottle at Stewart as the two drivers were restrained.

Stewart then ripped Logano in postrace interviews, calling him a “little rich kid.”

Logano shrugged off the incident Tuesday.

“You can say it the same way as my comments made after my race — heat of the moment,” Logano told ESPN. “Our sport, we don’t have time to take a deep breath, give me 15 minutes to regain my thoughts, and what the heck just happened, and let me watch a replay and see all this.

“I’m the same Joey Logano I’ve always been. I’m still happy-go-lucky. I’m very competitive. That’s never going to change, you know what I mean? I’m still who I’ve always been. But I don’t get walked on.”